1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for producing fried food from fruits such as apples, pineapples, etc., vegetables such as pumpkins, sweet potatoes, etc., and fish such as octopus, cuttlefish, short-necked clam, etc.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the prior art, this kind of fried food has been produced according to a frying process in which a basket containing a starting material is moved vertically in heated oil in a fryer vessel maintained under a reduced pressure while preventing mutual adhesion of the starting material in the shape of chips, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication.(Kokai) No. 52-3848 and No. 59-210853.
However, since the frying process of the prior art as mentioned above merely moves the starting material vertically in the heating oil, the starting material is insufficiently dried, resulting in bending or destruction of the starting material. This gives rise to problems such that not only is the product value lowered, but also the product has an inferior taste and the oil content is markedly reduced.